Ergonomics relates to a discipline of dealing with the interaction between a worker and the worker's work environment. An ergonomic hazard is a workplace condition that places a worker at an increased risk of developing a musculoskeletal injury or which would otherwise increase the likelihood of other work performance problems. For example, one ergonomic hazard is an improperly positioned computer keyboard. It is well known that an improperly positioned keyboard and continuous typing using the improperly positioned keyboard may result in carpal tunnel syndrome.
To address the problem of ergonomic hazards, workplace tools such as chairs, trays, monitors, etc. are desirably positioned in an ergonomically optimized manner. Many large corporations hire ergonomic specialists to help workers adjust their work tools to optimal ergonomic positions to minimize injury and maximize comfort.
While ergonomic specialists are effective, many average consumers cannot afford to hire ergonomic specialists. Moreover, even if they could afford ergonomic specialists, ergonomic specialists are not always readily available. Even if they are available, the process of adjusting (and installing) each and every workplace tool for a worker is a time consuming process even for an ergonomic specialist. Also, even if an ergonomic specialist is used, workplace tools can be moved over time due to cleaning personnel, etc. After the tools have been moved, a user will have a difficult time re-adjusting those workplace tools to their optimal ergonomic positions.
While many commercially available products are characterized as “ergonomic,” they are in fact often used improperly, because consumers do not have enough guidance on how to properly position or use them. For example, there are many commercially available “ergonomic” chairs, which are capable of being adjusted to different heights. However, the chair manufacturers do not tell the consumers how their chairs should be adjusted so that they are positioned in the most ergonomically effective manner. Consumers often think that their chairs are being used in the most ergonomically effective way. However, they may not be used in the most ergonomically effective way. For example, although a consumer may be using an ergonomic chair, the worker may improperly position the chair too high or too low. The chair may thus be positioned in an ergonomically improper way, even though the worker is using an “ergonomic” chair. Consumers are thus left to guess as to how to position their “ergonomic” workplace tools.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other problems.